South Sudan peace talks to resume on Monday

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

February 21, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan peace talks aimed at ending the more than 14-month-long conflict in the young East African nation have been postponed until Monday.

The new round of peace negotiations were supposed to resume on Friday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, but the Intergovernmental Authority on development (IGAD) was forced to delay the talks after delegations from both sides arrived late at the venue of talks.

However, the mediation team held separate consultative meetings with the stakeholders on Saturday during which they held discussion with the different negotiating parties in a bid to iron out contentious issues ahead of talks on Monday.

During the consultations, the stakeholders, including former detainees, faith-based groups and civil society organisations were asked if they had any new ideas to add or issues to omit in the fresh round of talks.

High on the agenda is power-sharing arrangements between the government and rebel faction in the would be transitional government of national unity.

Although the two sides have agreed on a power-sharing deal, details on executive powers between the president and the would-be prime minister remains to be hammered out.

Leaders of the two warring factions are expected to join the peace talks at the end of the negotiations based on the outcome.

IGAD has given the two rivals a 5 March deadline to reach a final peace deal.

Both sides are also been given until 9 July to form a transitional government.

(ST)